Water for School Bus Riders

TYLER – The Tyler Independent School District has announced its plan to help ensure students remain hydrated and healthy while riding the bus to and from school. “With temperatures topping 100 degrees almost every day, we want to do everything possible to keep our riders safe and healthy,” said TISD Transportation Director John Bagert.

To help make sure bus riders stay hydrated, TISD will provide bottled water to students boarding the buses in the afternoon. In addition to the bottled water, bus riders will be allowed to carry personal water bottles on the bus as long as they have re-sealable tops and are not frozen. Every school bus will have a cooler on board with chilled water in case a rider suffers a heat-related illness, and all maintenance trucks will be stocked with chilled water in the event a bus breaks down during a route.

“Our drivers will be closely monitoring students for signs of heat-related illness,” Bagert stated. “Drivers have been trained in first aid procedures, so they know what signs to look for and how to respond,” he continued.

The transportation department has prioritized its bus fleet to ensure air-conditioned buses are utilized on the longest routes and the routes with the most riders. All buses transporting students with special needs are air conditioned, and transportation department officials are working closely with each campus to make sure they are aware of any students who have health issues that may be complicated by the extreme heat.
Approximately 5,000 TISD students ride the bus. Tyler ISD will provide water to students every day the temperature reaches 98 degrees.